A review of XTR's VICTORY IN NORMANDY  by Wally Zenkteler

In their pre-publication announcement XTR laid claims that Victory in
Normandy introduced a new system to wargaming in similar fashion to
GDW's A House Divided.  This game is not point-to-point movement like
AHD, it uses conventional hex grid movement, but it does use an approach
which is otherwise quite different to most WW II games.

I will not dwell unnecessarily on the game components, suffice to say
the unmounted map is not large (only 17" by 22") and there are only 128
counters, all up to the usual standard that XTR produces, and visually
the map and counters are fine.  The scale is approx. 9.4 miles (15km) to
the hex and extends from Cherbourg in the north to the Loire River in
the south, and from Brest in the west to Paris in the East.  There are
basically two categories of units, armour and infantry (the latter
including artillery and paratroop) most containing two steps of combat
strength.

The Allied paratroop divisions can make airborne drops but this costs
victory points.

At first glance the game length may look rather daunting.  Each
game-turn represents one day real time and the full game lasts from
D-Day + 1 (with the Allied units already on the beaches of Normandy)
through to D-Day + 80 which is historically when Paris was liberated.
In fact the limitations on what can happen in each turn means they are
very quick and this means both players are not having to wait around for
what seems like an eon to have their turn.  There are shorter scenarios
as well.

Each turn a player is allocated a number of command points which are
used to either move units and/or conduct attacks.  The Germans have a
fixed number of 3 per turn throughout the game, the Allies get a
variable number starting with 2, increasing to 5 as specific geographic
objectives are achieved.  A single command point is used to move all
units in a single hex (a maximum of 4 units are allowed to stack, of
which only 1 can be artillery, and no more than 3 can be non-artillery).
Attacks can only be carried out by units stacked in a single hex against
another single hex, and this requires 2 command points.  For example on
any turn the German player can move units from up to three different
hexes but cannot attack, or can attack from one hex ( using from 1 to 4
units) and move from one hex.  The sequence in which a player expends
command points is optional so some units can attack before other units
move and vice versa.  Units which move cannot attack in the same turn
and units which attack cannot move.

Combat is not mandatory and there is no combat results table.  Attacks
are resolved by lining up the attackers opposite the defenders with
artillery behind non-artillery units.  The attacker's artillery fires
first then all the defenders can fire and finally the attacker's
non-artillery units can fire.  Each unit has fire values for attacks
against armour or infantry type units and two step units get to fire
twice and single step units once.  A firing unit simply rolls a die and
scores a hit if it rolls less than or equal to its firing value.  A hit
requires a step loss but some losses can be reduced by opting to retreat
(defender) or aborting the attack (attacker).
 
There is Naval Task Force and Strategic Air Force support for attacks in
the form of die roll modifiers.  The SAF target hex has to be secretly
preplotted in advance.  There are supply rules and terrain modifiers
which affect combat and movement.

For the Germans to win they must have at least 40 victory points at the
end of the game, otherwise it is an Allied win.  They can make this up
with supplied units still on the map (worth 1 point each, up to a
maximum of 20) and/or with control of geographic objectives (a total of
40 available).

It is very easy to learn the rules, very easy to set-up and very easy to
play.  Learning the strategy and tactics is the real challenge.  Knowing
how to optimise your command points to get the greatest benefit when
moving units, and knowing when to attack, knowing when to press home an
attack and knowing when to quit are all aspects that provide the
challenge when playing VIN not having to try and remember a multitude of
complex and interactive rules.

At the beginning it is a race between the Allies who need to concentrate
on massing reinforcements before attempting to expand the bridgehead,
and the Germans who desperately need to form a solid defensive perimeter
whilst possibly trying for some valuable points by recapturing an
invasion hex although this could prove costly if it fails.  The next
phase is a dogged battle through the bocage before finally the breakout
opens up the game and it becomes a race again, this time with the
Germans trying to retreat before they are trapped and trying to save
sufficient units to score the maximum allowable points.

Saving a total of 20 units and withdrawing behind the Seine River line
will not however be enough for the Germans to win.  The total number of
geographic v.p.'s east of the Seine is only 15 which means a maximum
total of 35 points.  Even holding onto Paris is only worth another 3
points.  Two of the east edge hexes south of the Seine would gain the 2
extra points required, but the chances of the German hanging on to them
are very slim unless he has managed to delay the Allies from reaching
them until the last couple of turns.  Clearly the best option is try and
hold onto one or two of the Fortress Ports such as Brest or Le Havre
etc.  Units in Forts are always supplied and the defence modifiers make
them difficult to crack.

Victory in Normandy is I think a worthwhile addition to any gamer's
collection.